: Internationally acclaimed author David Malouf is today delivering an address on the voice of women in ancient Greek drama at the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation.
Mr. Malouf said, "It is a great honour to be invited to speak at the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation. The contribution of the Ancient Greeks to our civilizational heritage is extraordinary and continuing. Western Civilisation is a blend of the Judeo-Christian tradition and the classical tradition. For close to one thousand years, the classical voice was largely silent in the West but with the Renaissance, it re-emerged and is now the dominant voice – a voice open to experiment, a postulation open to argument. What fascinates me about the voice of women in Ancient Greek drama is how they are given key statements; how critical they are of men and of the world in which they live," Mr. Malouf said.
CEO of the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation Professor Simon Haines said, "Mr. Malouf is a very fine writer and has made a lifelong contribution to Australian letters which includes nine novels, five collections of short stories, nine collections of poetry, four libretti, a play, a memoir and a number of essays. His talk today on the voice of women in ancient Greek drama perfectly illustrates the ongoing relevance of Western Civilisation to contemporary Australian writers."
Chairman of the Board of the Ramsay Centre, the Honourable John Howard OM AC, 25th Prime Minister of Australia said, "It is terrific to have someone of Mr. Malouf’s stature speaking at the Ramsay Centre and underlines the Centre’s commitment to nurturing a greater appreciation of the many ways in which Western Civilisation enriches the lives of Australians."
Board member and Principal of Queenwood Elizabeth Stone said, "David Malouf’s writing has enriched the learning of many generations of Australian students who have come to know and appreciate his work through their study of English in high school. It is a terrific privilege to have him speak at the Ramsay Centre."
Board member of the Ramsay Centre and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said, "It’s an honour to have David Malouf speak at the Ramsay Centre and emphasizes the way in which we want the Centre to bring together Australians from many different perspectives."
Mr. Malouf is the second speaker in the Ramsay Centre’s 2018 Distinguished Speaker series following on from the inaugural address by Professor Geoffrey Blainey in April. The Centre for Western Civilisation was created with an endowment from the late Paul Ramsay AO, founder of Ramsay Health Care, to promote a deeper appreciation of Western civilisation and its contribution to Australia through the creation of university degrees, scholarships, summer schools and public lectures.
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